A rare tall case musical clock made by famed Lancaster clockmaker Martin Shreiner is on exhibit at Historic Rock Fords John J. Snyder Jr. Gallery of Early Lancaster County Decorative Arts. The exhibit and seasonal museum had its opening day on April 1. The clock is on loan from John F. Pyfer Jr. and Carol T. Pyfer of Willow Street, Pa., who have had the clock fully restored to its original splendor so that it is once again fully operable and plays seven different tunes. In the early 19th century, musical clocks were rare and quite expensive. This clock, originally made for and owned by the Shreiner family, represents one of the few surviving Martin Shreiner musical clocks that is in operable condition. Shreiner, who is noted for having numbered the dials of all of his clocks in the order in which they were made, numbered this clock #317. It is believed to have been made around 1830. Its case is made of cherry wood in the Pennsylvania, Hepplewhite style and is unusually tall with both an upper short door and a lower full door. We are delighted to welcome this magnificent clock to the Snyder Gallery and pleased that our visitors will have the rare opportunity to see, and to hear, a fully functioning Martin Shreiner musical clock, says Sam Slaymaker, executive director of Historic Rock Ford. Martin Shreiner was born on North Queen Street in Lancaster in 1769. He opened a clockmaking shop in Lancaster in 1791 and had a long and distinguished career in clockmaking with his sons, Martin Jr. and Philip, eventually joining him in the family business. He died at 97 years of age and was buried at Shreiners cemetery at the corner of West Chestnut and Mulberry streets, which he had founded in 1836. Located at 881 Rockford Road, Lancaster, Pa., Historic Rock Ford, comprised of the ca. 1794 General Edward Hand Mansion and the John J. Snyder Jr. Gallery of Early Lancaster County Decorative Arts, is open for tours through Oct. 30. Admission information may be found at www.HistoricRockFord.org. Photos courtesy of Pook & Pook Inc. Auctioneers & Appraisers.